AI and UDL Work Better Together
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offer powerful opportunities to enhance education by making learning more accessible, inclusive, and personalized.
Everyone brings unique perspectives and experiences to learning, and every brain is as different as a fingerprint. To address this predictable learner variability, CAST has developed the UDL framework, and the UDL Guidelines organizer, a design thinking tool, to help learning experience and product designers find “hidden” barriers that keep many people from accessing content and products.
AI-driven tools are transforming classrooms in the form of adaptive learning platforms, tutoring systems, lesson-planning assistants, and other education tools, but their true potential is realized when they are designed and implemented with UDL principles. By integrating what we know about learning science (UDL) with the power of personalization (AI), we gain the power to design experiences and tools that support all learners from the beginning, rather spending time and money retrofitting solutions later.
Learn more below, or download our 5 Ways AI & UDL Work Better Together (PDF) to explore the topic in-depth.
Co-design from the start—don’t retrofit
By co-designing with a variety of learner voices—including people with disabilities and multilingual learners—and applying UDL principles from the outset, developers and learning designers can reduce barriers and ensure accessibility for everyone.
Ensure AI tools are designed inclusively with our UDL Product Certification, which supports the accessibility and universal design of educational products. CAST’s Accessibility Solutions Team also provides expertise in making AI-driven learning design and tools more inclusive.
UDL supports AI development, implementation, & literacy
Educators using UDL deepen their skills to make learning accessible, foster learner agency, and create flexible pathways to success. AI can further expand these opportunities by offering personalized support tailored to individual needs, as supported by recent research.
To learn more about how UDL can be applied in AI literacy or the use of AI learning technologies, please contact CAST’s PreK-12 Professional Development or Postsecondary Professional Development teams.
Keep educators in the loop
A recent CAST survey of educators and district leaders in districts we serve found that nearly two-thirds say they’re not getting the help they need to solve problems and select tools, while 70% of educators are specifically interested in learning how to use AI to support students with disabilities and English language learners.
Educators see the potential and power of personalizing education with AI tools, and need to be at the forefront of tool design, selection, and use.
AI as Assistive Intelligence
AI has already improved many traditional assistive technologies, like text-to-speech and voice recognition, making them more accurate and natural-sounding, but the next exciting frontier for AI in learning is in the power to reduce cognitive load. In this next phase, AI will actually function like assistive intelligence because it will help individuals more quickly understand and process information.
When AI and UDL are incorporated, these tools will allow individuals to reach content more easily and unlock deeper engagement. To learn more about AI and UDL’s potential in making content and writing more accessible, check out CAST Professional Publishing’s Rethinking Writing Instruction in the Age of AI, by Randy Laist.
Prioritize AI and UDL in workforce and career education
Many career and technical education (CTE) educators and workforce training instructors lack professional training on AI integration, creating a gap in workforce readiness. Our Workforce Professional Development and Postsecondary teams partner with workforce administrators, CTE educators, professional organizations, and more to develop, deploy, and evaluate meaningful UDL-based offerings that inspire and engage all learners, whether they are exploring career options in AI or leading organizations that develop these cutting-edge technologies.
Ready to find out how CAST can support you?
Get in touch to learn more about how we can help your AI based development and curriculum reach a broader audience, reduce barriers, and ensure accessibility.